Method and apparatus for displaying electronic program guide information

Abstract

The present invention provides a logically organized electronic program guide separated into categories. Each category has a theme. Inside each theme-based category there is a listing of television programming. In this way, the subscriber can locate a desired theme and then determine a desired program from the list in the category.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for displaying filtered electronic program guide information, the method comprising:
 receiving from a head end electronic program guide information at a client device, the electronic program information associated with a plurality of channels, wherein each of the plurality of channels is associated, prior to receiving from the head end, with at least one theme based upon the customary or typical programming displayed on such channel, and wherein the at least one theme is associated with the channel regardless of the current programming on such channel; 
 receiving a first user input at the client device corresponding to a first press of an electronic program guide button of a remote control; 
 outputting a non-thematic representation of the electronic program guide information for display responsive to the first user input, wherein the non-thematic representation displays all channels regardless of theme; 
 receiving, at the client device and during a display of the non-thematic representation of the electronic program guide information, a second user input corresponding to a second press of the electronic program guide button of the remote control; 
 identifying, by the client device, at least a first theme of the at least one theme associated with at least one of the channels; and 
 outputting a thematic representation of the electronic program guide information for display responsive to the second input, the thematic representation including a subset of the plurality of channels, wherein each of the channels in the subset of channels is associated with the first theme, wherein the only channels displayed on the thematic representation are those that were previously associated at the head end with the first theme, 
 wherein the first theme is associated with the subset of channels themselves and is not associated with particular programming being presented at the time of receiving the first or second input on any of the subset of channels, 
 wherein the first theme and the subset of channels associated therewith is decided upon by a programming distributor at the head end and is not decided upon by a viewer associated with the client device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a third user input, at the client device corresponding to a third press of the electronic program guide button of the remote control; and 
 outputting a different thematic representation of the electronic program guide information for display responsive to the third user input, the different thematic representation including a different subset of the plurality of channels, wherein each of channels in the different subset of channels is associated with a second theme identified by the client device. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third user input is received wherein the third user input is received during a display of the different non-thematic representation of the electronic program guide information.